Belated Delivery
by WafflePop
Summary: All Matt wanted was some pizza, but instead he got a phone call. Features Matt and Mello.


Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Death Note doesn't belong to me.

* * *

Damn it! The pizza was supposed to get here by now. It was storming outside, so that could have slowed them down a bit, but even so, they sure were taking their sweet time. Matt took another puff of smoke and jammed at the controller of his new shooter game. Like always, he was too lazy to cook anything, so it was pizza night again.

He looked at the clock. One minute late. He could probably get a discount now. Matt smiled as he blasted some more enemies on his TV screen.

Right then, the phone went off. Matt shrugged but didn't budge. He was in the zone and the call could wait until another time. The phone wouldn't wait for Matt. Right after the first few repeats of ringtone ended, a new round started, followed by another, and another, and another. Whoever was calling wasn't giving up.

Matt sighed. Doesn't anyone bother to leave voicemail anymore? He finally paused the game and reached for the phone. Maybe it's the pizza guy. Heh. Maybe he could even get it for free.

Unknown number. An unknown caller who was extremely persistent ... _Shit. It better not be _… He took the call anyway. The voice still had the same hard edge that he remembered but had tried to forget.

"Matt."

Crap. Why did he take the call? He knew what it was going to be about, yet he still picked up the phone anyway. Matt wanted to slap himself right there and then. _Oh well, just do what you always do. Wing it._

"Mello."

"You must know why I called."

He took a drag. "Then you must know my response."

Mello paused, but he knew he hadn't stumped him yet. It's been years, but he had not forgotten what a fighter his old friend had been.

"Don't tell me you haven't been curious," Mello said artfully. "Let me guess. You've been in your room playing games and eating ramen every night, right?"

This guy still knew him well, and it was both off-putting and flattering at the same time.

"Actually, tonight's pizza night." Or it should have been. Fucking slow delivery service! Matt rolled his eyes.

"Well, bored of that yet?" The caller sounded confident, but Matt was unfazed. _Not this time, Mello._

"You know, I like fun and games as much as the next guy, but there ain't no respawn points in the one _you're_ peddling. So, sorry man, but it's not worth it."

Another pause. Then the tone changed.

It sounded sincere on the next one. "I know I've never been a great friend to you, Matt. You have every reason to-" but not sincere enough.

"Come on, Mello!" Matt interrupted, laughing now, "Don't try that sentimental crap on me. I've seen the news. I know what's been going on. They have you cornered and you're all alone now. You didn't want to contact me, but you had no choice anymore. You left the orphanage without so much as a goodbye, and for these past four years, you haven't once tried to contact me or anyone. I wasn't your first pick for a partner, just your last resort for a crutch. So don't try to make me believe that you even give a shit. Where will you be when I'm stuck in a jam? You're right, I _am _interested, Mello, but that doesn't mean that I'm suicidal."

He laughed again, but it had a bitter flavor. He had been bored. Of course he had been bored this whole time, and Mello's offer could certainly help alleviate the monotony of his life. But damn it if he was going to get sucked into some plot that might get him killed, especially if he was going to be just another expendable tool for Mello to use to further his own damn goals, like always!

He still remembered the last time that Mello had roped him into a crazy scheme. It was one of the few times that L had paid a visit to Wammy's. Little Mello had missed the last opportunity to see L in person, so he was not going to fail again this time.

"Matt! MATT! GET UP!" The blond boy in black almost shook the sleepy brunet right out of his own bed.

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaat?" Matt whined

"Get up! It's time to see L. Don't you wanna meet him?" He was far too excited at (he looked at his clock) 3:19 AM!

"What have you been smoking, Mello?" Matt pulled a pillow over his head as Mello turned on the hostile lights. "It's 3. Everyone's asleep."

Mello yanked the pillow away. "Not L! Geez, don't you know anything? Come on, get up! I need your help." He shook the boy again.

They had snucked through the building that night, being careful so as not to get caught. Like always, the sleepy kid had been reluctant to participate at first, but after the plan had been set in motion, with Mello delegating to him the most simple but crucial of tasks, Matt had also become eager to see what the conclusion would be. However, like most of the times, he had gotten careless and ended up getting caught.

Mello did not.

The next morning, which was about 4 hours later really, the blond proceeded to shake his cohort out of the bed again.

"Matt! I met him!" He shouted, "I got in so much trouble afterward, but I actually met him. That's more than Near could ever say. Ha!"

"I don't care. Let me sleep."

But of course Mello wouldn't let him sleep. He poured out the entire conversation to Matt, even though it was really just L telling Mello stories about his previous detective cases rather and actual conversation. He was initially unenthusiastic but eventually became more interested. The stories were certainly entertaining, and his partner was a good storyteller.

Yeah, Mello had always been able to keep him from boredom, no matter how reluctant he might have been at first.

Still on the phone, Matt glanced at the clock. They were ten minutes late now. He sighed. All he wanted was some damn pizza!

"You're right," Mello admitted. He was serious now.

Huh? Had he zoned out again?

"You're right about everything," Mello reiterated. "I never did intend to see you again after I left the orphanage four years ago. I didn't say goodbye to you, because I wanted you to forget about me. I only got in touch you now _precisely _because you were my last resort. Otherwise, I never would have contacted you."

Matt was confused. Was this supposed to help convince him?

"Because you were the last person I wanted to risk. Makes sense?"

Matt froze. He hadn't planned for this one, and it had completely caught him off guard. _Damn, sneaky bastard._ This was just another way for Mello to manipulate him, and it was a low blow. Matt tightened his jaw. He didn't want to accept what Mello had just said as the truth. Not after all these years.

No, he shouldn't even be _considering_ it. Since when did Mello ever give up a chance to lie to get what he wanted?

"Fine!" said Matt in both submission and defiance, "Suppose I _was _feeling suicidal. Where should I meet you?"

The doorbell rang.

Yes, about time! Matt scooped up his wallet and walked briskly to the front door. They were late, and he was already starving on top of being agitated. It didn't matter how bad the storm was, the pizza guy definitely wasn't going to get any tip from him this time. He cast the door open.

Standing on his porch was a young man, adorned in black leather, topped off with a long, red coat, and soaking wet. His dirty blond hair, damp and unkempt, hugged at his neck just right below chin level, dripping with rainwater. His face had been hardened by adversity with the left side charred and scorched beyond recognition. But Matt recognized him.

Mello. Had he been here this whole time?

In his right hand was a cell phone positioned at his ear. And in his left, a box of freshly baked pizza.


End file.
